


Science is Cool

by greekowl87



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Alternate Universe, Domestic MSR, F/M, Homework
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-10-23
Packaged: 2019-01-21 21:25:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12466244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greekowl87/pseuds/greekowl87
Summary: AU fluff fic where Scully helps seven year old Will with science homework.





	Science is Cool

Scully sat at the kitchen table with her seven-year-old son with a pencil in her hand, slowly pointing at each word as he sounded it out. “Mag…magnet is a rock,” William spoke slowly, unsure, “mag…mag…”

“Magnetism,” she corrected slowly.

“Magnetism is the fo…fo…”

“Sound it out, Will,” she encouraged.

“Magnetism is the for..force that comes from magnets.” She rubbed his back soothingly as he leaned forward, focusing on the sentence. “It can attract or..re…repel. Mom, what’s repel?”

“To push away.”

“This is dumb,” he huffed. “I can’t get it.”

“Magnetism is important,” Scully began. “The Earth has too magnetic fields at the north and south poles. That is what a compass reads when you’re lost.”

“You could just use a GPS like grandma has.”

“Well, it is still important. Science is important.”

“Science is dumb. I don’t get it.” He kicked his legs angrily. “Can I watch TV?”

“Not until we get this homework done,” she said. “Do you want to take a break and stretch your legs?”

“I can watch TV?”

“No,” she sighed. “Go out to the backyard, walk around a bit. It’ll help clear your head.”

Will slid off the chair and mumbled, “I wanna watch TV instead.”

Scully pinched her nose. Her and Mulder had an agreement. He helped with the English and history homework, she helped with science and math. Unfortunately, their son lacked any interest in homework and preferred to keep his face buried in books or watching ‘Plan 9 From Outer Space’ over and over again. She got up, heeding her own advice and walked across the living room, and knocked on Mulder’s office door lightly. She opened it without preamble.

“How goes the science homework?” he asked, spinning around in his chair.

Scully rolled her eyes. “You didn’t hear?”

Mulder smiled softly at her. “He doesn’t have his mom’s love for science, does he?”

“I can’t get him interested. It’s like pulling teeth. He would rather just watch TV.”

Mulder moved his chair side to side in thought and shrugged. “Let him watch TV then. PBS? Remember the Magic School Bus and Bill Nye the Science Guy? They still do reruns.”

“William will not watch that,” she sighed. “Anything that involves science he won’t come near with unless he has a cross and stake.”

“Gets that from me,” Mulder grinned.

“Shut up.”

“Bill Nye is on in a half hour, Scully. Let him watch it.”

“Mulder…” she began. “How do you even know what time a kid’s show is on?”

He shrugged. “I get bored with you at the hospital all day. What do you have to lose?” She arched her eyebrow quizzically and licked her lips in thought. “Scully, don’t tempt me, especially with the little guy still awake.”

“It wasn’t my intention,” she defended herself, “maybe tonight, after he goes to bed…”

“When you admit I am right?”

“Shut up, Mulder.”

“Mom,” they heard their son yell, “I’m back!”

“Try it, Scully. If not, you just rot his little brain a little more with television.”

She took a deep breath and called, “Will, let’s watch some tv. There’s this awesome show I want you to watch.”

Mulder smiled to himself and went back to his writing as Scully shut the door behind her. She saw her son arch an eyebrow, identical to hers, suspiciously. “Why?”

“Because maybe we could use the break. What do you say? We can make some PBJs and watch it together?” She smiled, doing her best to cajole her son.

“Dad’s more convincing when he wants me to do something,” he said with a shrug. “But I want Sprite with my PBJ.”

“Deal,” she sighed. Sometimes she forgot how much Will was the best and worst of both of them.

An hour later, cuddled together on the couch, Will watched in fascination with his mother as the zany theme music ended Bill Nye the Science Guy on PBS. “That is science,” he asked her, looking up in disbelief. “Electrons are really everywhere? Even on me right now?”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “But physics is a little far advanced for you right now.”

He shook his head like he had heard the most absurd thing. “Is all science like this?” He looked to Scully as she nodded slightly. “So, if we got magnets off the fridge right now, I could make them push each other away?”

“So long as they are facing the same polar ends,” she reminded.

William had already slid off the couch and dashing into the kitchen. “Dad! You gotta check this out!”

Mulder emerged from his office, spying Scully still sitting on the couch with a smug smile on her face. He matched her grin. “Coming, Will.” He paused to look at his partner and chuckled. “Great, now there's two scientists in the family.”

“Not always a bad thing, Mulder,” she replied, getting up. She took his arm. “Let’s go see our newest junior scientist.”

He laughed as they trailed into the kitchen to see Will perform his magnetic experiments.


End file.
